The Valley of Kings and a Queen

Chapter 1

Hey friends my name's RaeLynn Cassidy, but you can call me Ray, and this is the story of well I guess you'll just have to read and find out. I was born and raised in Santa Monica, California just outside the beautiful city of LAX. You know the city where Miley Cyrus sings her "Party in the U.S.A''. When you think of Cali, the stereotypes hold true. There's a lot surfing, everyone wants to be in showbiz, and hipster is the new mainstream. I was just about to start my junior year at Santa Monica high school – yes I know what you're thinking home of some of the cast of the famous youtube series summer break and yes, I did a little guest starring on the show this summer for the short time when I wasn't at lacrosse or basketball camp. I was about to start off my junior year as captain of the women's basketball team – go Vikings and hopefully get a scholarship to Sanford -fingers crossed of course and no I'm not trying to flex on anyone. And I was destined to date Dash Dobro – the lacrosse captain who I might have accidentally but not so accidently hooked up with this summer but you can just watch that episode of summer break if you really want to know what happened with that.

That is beside the point though. I just had a lot going for me until my mother decided to fall in love with Mr. Tea and Crumpets. He was British, and the only thing he had going for him was his accent, but he was far from British royalty, so he really did not have much going for him. So, two weeks before classes started, my mom told us that we were going to travel back across the pond. I think the States broke free from the British for many good reasons besides freedom. The first being it's quite dull over yonder that's why they have to have royal weddings every now and then- just to stay relevant. The second being they are a little posh for my liking. Seriously, who talks so sophisticated for no apparent reason.

Anyways, my mom made my little brother Sammy and me pack our bags and head off to the U.K. My mother's future husband Mr. Chapman had an extra two rooms in his quaint home for Sammy and me, so of course we moved in, so we would create a new "close-knit family". As if I wanted to be close to them. That was far from anything I wanted. I tried to fight it. Sammy didn't care though, he liked the idea of a new start. Rumor had it British girls were crazy for surfer boys from the States – or that's what popsugar claimed, and what he was clinging to as he was about to begin his high school career. Or now should I say Secondary School? That's besides the point.

As for my mom and I, we had many scream fests and I almost flooded our home with my tears as she broke the news. But before I knew it, our houses' for sale sign was changed to sold, and my stuff was sent across the pond where I would shortly follow. I even tried to convince my mother that I could stay with my dad who worked at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA just outside of LAX except it turns out UCLA was also sending him across the globe to Shanghai for medical research. How convenient of them to decide to make their lives go global when I only needed to stay put for one more year. After that time period well sorry not sorry it would be Sammy's problem.

So that is how I started off my junior year at King Alfred prep academy for the best and brightest just outside of London alongside my future stepbrother Oliver Chapman. At least he got some good looks from his father Lance. At least my mother decided to be engaged to a semi-cute British man. His son Oliver was actually more than cute, honestly quite handsome considering the fact that I have never been interested in British boys. He had nice sea salt hair and a cute, simple smile. He had this cuteness to him that at first glance you say "nah I don't see it", but then you do a double take and think "wow he's actually kind of cuter than I thought, if I actually would have given him a thought from the start". But his younger sister Holly on the hand, I mean she was pretty – not as pretty as me though. She had short straight blonde hair and bland style. She had lots of potential but lacked making a quality finished product.